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A resident books a dynamic bus through a mobile phone. [Photo by Yu Xinyi/tidenews.com.cn]

Jiaxing launched its first batch of flexible buses in Fengqiao town, Nanhu district on July 31.

At around 10:00 am, 67-year-old resident Xu Xuefu used the "Youdian Chuxing" mini-program through the Jiaxing Bus WeChat account to book a dynamic bus. Within minutes, he secured a ride and reached the Meihuazhou Scenic Area, 3 kilometers away, in just over 10 minutes.

Xu expressed his delight, saying, "I used to wait a long time for buses. Now, with dynamic buses, I can call one anytime without worrying about missing the bus or waiting too long. The fare is also very affordable at just 3 yuan (41.45 cents)."

The flexible bus service is a new model introduced by Jiaxing Public Transport to meet modern travel needs. Passengers can input their pick-up and drop-off points, select the number of passengers, and pay the fare through their phones. The system then matches them with the nearest dynamic bus. Upon boarding, passengers show a verification code to the driver.

The flexible bus system uses an optimized algorithm to plan routes efficiently, ensuring point-to-point service for all passengers. Operating from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, the service covers an area of about 3 square kilometers, including 36 stops in residential areas, schools, and markets.

Jiaxing plans to expand the service area, with a trial operation at Jiaxing University set to begin by the end of August, covering an additional 5.4 sq km. This expansion aims to provide more travel options and higher efficiency for residents.